Pride and Prejudice
by nikkipaige615
Summary: Hermione Granger and Draco Malfoy. Opposites in almost everyway. Can they possibly put their differences aside and learn to live together and even possibly be friends...or more? AU and later a little OOC
1. I Shall Behave Myself, Sir

**Hi All!!!**

**So this is my new story. I am kinda using the story line of Pride and Prejudice, which has probably been done many times, but I wanted to do my version. So this isn't very long, and I know that, but I need to know how the beginning is. **

**Please please give me some input and let me know if this is good enough to continue. Let me know! I welcome all of your comments, be it good or bad, but I prefer the good ones. **

**I hope you enjoy it, and I promise that future chapters will be longer!!**

**Oh and there won't be a bunch of graphic sex scenes, but there will be a few. The rating, for right now, is mainly for the language (because my language is a little sailorish and so sometimes it comes out in my writing). **

**All right, enough of my babbling and on to the story! Read and enjoy!**

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The first time they met, it didn't go very well.

He could remember it as if it were yesterday. Both eleven years old and on their way to start school at Hogwarts. She had come in to his compartment and sat down with a huge smile on her face.

"Hi. My name is Hermione Granger. I see you have no house decorations on your robes, so I assume that you are also a first year. I am so excited, aren't you? I can't wait to really start learning about magic. Do you know much? I don't, but I am learning quickly. I have got the repairo charm down. Ooo…I have been reading Hogwarts A Hisory…"

He remembers the first thought that came to his head was, "Wow, this girl can talk. I wonder how much longer I am going to have to listen to her. And look at that hair….looks like a rat's nest. Don't say that out loud. We need to make friends and she seems like a smart, capable minded person."

Hermione took a breath to continue her last thought when they were interrupted by a clumsy, slightly overweight boy looking for his toad.

When he walked in, with a panicked look on his face, Hermione stood up and extended her hand to him.

"Hi, I am Hermione Granger. Are you looking for something?"

The boy nodded and did another sweep of the compartment. "I am Neville Longbottom and I can't find my toad, Trevor. I had him when I boarded but then he slipped away."

He watched her face crumple with a bit of concern, and then she straightened her back, squared her shoulders and then held her chin a bit higher. A move that he would later recognize as her stance of authority. She smiled at Neville, brilliantly, and sat a hand on his shoulder.

"Let's go, Neville. I will help you find Trevor." She then turned her smile on to him. "It was nice talking to you. Maybe we will be in the same house or classes. I hope to see you again."

And without ever once getting his name she strode out with that clumsy boy and down the corridor.

A smile spread on his face as he remembered the wonderful feeling about the possibility of being that girl's friend. He was happy when Crabbe and Goyle found him and they made their way to those dingy boats. He was happy when they made it to the Entrance Hall.

It was all ruined when he met that damned Harry Potter. Then she was sorted into his rival house, but he still had some hopes for a friendship.

Then she became Harry fucking Potter's best friend.

That was when she became nothing more that Harry Potter's mudblood friend who was nothing more that dirt under his expensive Italian shoes. He hated that she was smarter than him and better at magic than him. He hated everything about her.

He hated her brown curly hair that was never under control and could show her emotional states, so he knew when would be the easiest times to get under her skin. He knew that if it was a day that her hair looked as if it had not been brushed for days it was going to be a good day for him.

He hated her eyes. Dark chocolate brown that shone with passion and could make any man quiver in his shoes. They turned almost black when she was angry, seemed to sparkle when she was happy, and he was sure could give away all of her emotions with just one glance.

He hated how smart she was. How she could beat him in every single class they shared. The only two things that he could truthfully say he was better than her at was Divination and Quidditch. Both things that she hated so therefore he loved.

While most of these traits were things that most would admire in a person, he despised them for one reason: He was better than her because he was not only a pureblood but also very powerful in the wizardry world, so she shouldn't be able to be better than him with her low blood and social status.

That is just the way that it should be.

***

Hermione sat in the Great Hall, her head in a book as she studied for an up coming Astrology exam. She was peacefully lost in the words when she felt someone standing behind her.

With out even glancing up, she took a long drink of her coffee, "Yes? Can I help you."

"Yeah, you can pack up your shit and get your ass up to the Headmaster's office for our meeting with him."

Hermione rolled her eyes and looked up at the man who had come to get her. Draco Malfoy stood, looking down his nose at her, as if he were better than her, which he believed he was. Hermione put a fake smile on and stood up, bringing her only book with her.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Malfoy. How silly of me to get carried away with studying. How will Dumbledore ever understand our tardiness."

With that, she started walking out of the Great Hall with a confident stride and a chuckle, leaving Draco staring at the spot she had just been occupying for a few seconds. When he was brought out of his stupor he shook his head and took off after her.

"What makes you think you could ever talk to me like that, Granger?"

Hermione stopped and whirled around, bringing Draco up short and almost colliding with her. She stuck her finger in to his chest and started poking him, painfully and repeatedly.

"You arrogant ass, I want you to listen and listen well. I don't care what you think about me, but you will not treat me like one of your brainless followers. You are no better than I am, Draco Malfoy. One day I will prove that to you."

The last sentence was barely a whisper and she turned on her heel and made her way to the gargoyle that hid the entrance to the Headmaster's office. She mumbled the password and they made their way up the spiraling staircase.

Hemrione fumed to herself as Dumbledore went over their duties for the year and what was expected of them as Head Boy and Girl.

'The nerve of that jerk, treat me like dirt, hah! I will show him. Only two days into the year and all ready he is insulting me. Like he has the right to talk to me that way. Living with him is going to be a treat.'

Hermione pulled herself from her thoughts with a sharp jab from her newly appointed partner. She shook her head and noticed that both Dumbledore and Draco were staring at her. Her face turned bright red and she suddenly found the corner of Dumbledore's desk very interesting.

"Sorry. What was that last thing Headmaster."

Dumbledore chuckled and made a steeple with his fingers, "I was just explaining that while I know the history between the two of you, I expect you both to show the utmost respect for the other in front of the students. I am really trying to promote inner house relations and being two of the most popular students from opposing houses you hold great influence over how your fellow housemates act. If you can get along, maybe Gryffindors and Slytherins will start to realize that you are just people and houses don't have to divide you."

Both of the students nodded and promised that they would try while one thought hung on both of their minds.

'Yeah, right.'


	2. First Day, First Class, Hell Freezes

**Okie dokie----here is the second chapter. I worked hard on it, and yes I leave stuff open ended and make you want to ask questions, but all of them will be answered in the story, I promise!!!**

**Let me know what you think! I really would like to know what you like/dislike about this story so far. It will make me want to write more =)**

**Alright, go on and read already.**

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They were led up to the seventh floor to a picture of a rather handsome couple.

Professor McGonagall, who had led them to their new home, smiled up at the couple.

"Adriana, Michael. How are you two doing today?"

Adriana looked down at the older lady and smiled, "We are doing quite well, Minerva. How lovely to see you again. Are these our new tenants?"

Hermione stepped forwards and waved slightly, not being able to shake a portraits hand, "Hello. I am Head Girl Hermione Granger."

Behind her, Draco snorted, earning a glare from Hermione over her shoulder. They stood there for a second, all eyes on him before he rolled his eyes.

"I'm Draco Malfoy. Head Boy."

Michael narrowed his eyes, "Malfoy, huh? Son of Lucius I suppose. I knew Lucius back in the day, when he had a bit of fling with the Head Girl of his year."

Draco nodded, not really caring about anything having to do with his father. There was a few seconds of awkward silence before McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Alright then, lets set a password and let these two get settled. Since I don't believe that at this point you two will be able to agree on a password I will choose it. For now the password will be 'disaster'." She ended with a wink to the two in the painting and a chuckle as they portrait swung open revealing their common room.

Draco and Hermione walked in to the spacious room that was just slightly smaller than the common room in both the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses. It was decorated in a chocolate brown and dark blood red. The walls were covered in bookcases that were filled to the top. There was a huge fire place that held a very healthy fire. In front of the hearth were two identical, overstuffed chairs and a very large couch, all clad in dark brown leather.

On either side of the room, at the bottom of two identical staircases, set two desks. One of them was a dark brown wood with elegent pewter accents. Sitting on the top was a stationary set that read at the top with Hermione's name written in a deep red writing. The other desk was black with silver accents and on top of it was a stationary with Draco's name written in a dark green.

They each walked over to their desks and then made their way up the staircase next to it, neither of them uttering a word to the other as they explored their new living space.

Hermione walked up her stair case and came face to face with a huge door with a plague on it that read simply, "Head Girl".

She opened the door and gasped and then started giggling at the sight of her room. The room was decorated in the same style as her desk, with a huge four poster bed that sat in the middle of the room. She also had a large beautiful wardrobe and a floor length mirror. To her left was a door and she decided to explore and see what was inside.

When she opened the door she realized that it led to the bathroom. A bathroom that any girl would die for. There was a huge tub that easily fit four people, as well as a shower stall.

She was confused at the double sinks and the huge vainity when she heard a door open, followed immediately by a , "You have got to be fucking kidding me."

Hermione turned and came face to face with Draco, at a black door on the opposite side of the bathroom.

"We have to share a bathroom. Oh bloody hell."

***

"So how much do you love your dorm? Percy told me it was fabulous when he lived there. I am so excited! Can I come see it? Maybe spend a night there with you. We could have a slumber party for just us girls! Oh it will be so fun!"

Hermione laughed at Ginny's excitement.

"Gin, of course you will be able to come visit me, and I'll have to ask McGonagall about the sleeping over, but I'm sure it will be ok."

Next to Hermione, on her right, Harry was glancing through their course schedules.

"Why is it that they put us with the Slytherins in every double class? Look--Defense, Potions, Transfiguration, and Care for Magical Creatures." He dropped his schedule and sat his head down on the table in front of him a bit harder than necessary. "I swear, they are trying to kill us."

Hermione shook her head and took a look down at her own schedule. Sure enough she had defense, Transfiguration and Potions with the Slytherins. Luckily some of her other advanced classes were a bit smaller and made of students from all four houses. The best part was very few Slytherins took those classes.

Hermione groaned and put her schedule in her bag as she realized she knew of at least one Slytherin that would be in all those classes. Her eyes flickered up to the Slytherin table and there he was, seated in the very middle of the side of the table that looks out at the entire Great Hall. He was surrounded by his so called friends. Blaise Zabini sat on his right, and Vincent Crabbe on his left. Directly in front of him sat Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode and Gregory Goyle. The small group of friends were laughing about some thing that had been said when Hermione saw Draco pick up his schedule.

His eyes scanned the page quickly and his eyebrows furrowed. It would seem his reaction was similar to hers by the way his head shot up and his eyes locked on hers.

Hermione ducked her head and was blushing furiously. The look in his eyes was pure hate and it made her feel incredibly uncomfortable.

Then she started to become angry. She picked up her fork and stabbed at the eggs on her plate as she thought about it.

'Why does he have any right to hate me so much. What have I really done that is so wrong? My parents are muggles, so what? I am still the smartest witch that has ever graced these halls, including Lily Potter. I can do any spell that you ask me to. If I don't already know it I can look it up and learn it in a matter of minutes. I don't have an entire fortune of money. Big deal. I'm not poor. I have enough money to do what I need to, just because I don't blow it on really expensive stuff doesn't mean anything. Grrrrr…..I hate how he makes me think about this. I should just blow it off and leave it alone, but I have to know what makes him think that he is that much better than me. Why he thinks he can talk to me like I am below him! I am not below him and he will soon find that out, damnit!'

Hermione broke out of her silent rant when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Harry smiling down at her.

"Hey woman, you coming to class? Or do you feel like being a rebel and skiving on your first day?"

Hermione laughed and got up and took her bag that Harry had tried to carry for her.

"Let's go and get this day of hell over with."

Ron came up behind them and threw an arm over Hermione's shoulder, "That is where you are wrong, my dear friend. The day of hell will be Monday when we have three essays due, two projects and a bunch of other homework. Today we just have to deal with the Slytherins."

Hermione nodded and shrugged out of Ron's arm to rifle through her bag. "That reminds me. I got both of you planners so you could keep up with your homework." The boys groaned but took the gift. "I know, I know, but I won't be in the common room every night reminding you to study. I charmed these to signal to you when an assignment is due twelve hours before the deadline. That should give you time to do it."

The boys both agreed to use the planners and thanked their ever bossy friend as they walked in to the classroom. They started to go to a desk towards the middle when they found they couldn't walk to the chairs. It was as if there was a wall between the middle isle and the desks.

On the black board was written in a loopy hand writing were instructions.

_You are all assigned seats. Only you can see your name on the sign on your chair, so you don't know who you are sitting next to. Find your seats and you will be able to sit down. Once you are in your chair and comfortable take out some parchment and a quill and be prepared to take notes._

_Thank you, Prof. Hardman_

As each student read the message they all let out an identical groan. They knew that they would not be sat with a house mate, seeing as all the Professors were hell bent on making them get along.

Hermione walked to the desk in the very front row to the right of the teachers desk. She had a bad feeling when she saw her name on the chair on the left. The desk her name was at was the only desk with just two seats. All the other desks around the room had three.

She sat down and pulled out her supplies like the instructions had stated. She then put her head in her hands and waited for what was inevitably going to happen. The three had gotten there a bit early so they had to wait ten good minutes before the majority of the class got there. When they did, they all cursed this new Professor and his/her sick sense of humor.

She waited for the sound of his shoes on the stone. When she heard them, she listened to them slowly make their way to the front. She heard the silence when he stopped a few steps behind his chair. She heard him cuss under his breath and then he quickly made his way to his seat and plopped down, clearly unhappy with the situation.

Hermione sighed and lifted her head. She turned in her chair and started to look around the rest of the room to see if any of her friends were suffering as much as her (though she desperately hoped not). Unfortunatley, both were almost as bad off as she was. This professor did have quite the sense of humor.

Harry was two rows behind her sat in the middle of Blaise and Pansy . She smiled at him weakly and he gave her a small wave as he watched the two Slytherins out of the corner of his eye. Ron was in the third row back, directly behind her. He was the luckier of the three. He sat with Seamus and Millicent. Apparently she had a funky odor of some sort from the faces that Ron and Seamus both were making.

Her eyes surveyed the rest of the room when they landed on a sight that made her laugh just a bit, but also feel so incredibly sorry for Neville. He was seated in the very back of the room sitting directly between Crabbe and Goyle.

Next to her, Hermione heard a laugh that caught her off guard and made her turn her attention away.

Draco sat with his arm flung over the back of his chair as he watched the same sight that she had been laughing at. For a split second the sneer was gone from his face and he looked almost like a normal human being. But as soon as she thought about it, it returned as he realized that she had looked up.

He coughed and turned back to the front, and he became very interested in the blank parchment in front of him. It took her just a minute but it soon occurred to her that he was embarrassed.

Yep. There it was, and Hermione watched it bloom with a silly little smile on her face and her eyes slowly widened. The faint pink blush spread over Draco's cheeks slowly. It appeared on his pale ears and ran a slim line down his neck. Hermione glanced around and then leaned forward, excited at this new sight.

"Well, well. Draco Malfoy embarrassed. I never thought I would see the day that you of all people would show an emotion so beautifully." She laughed a bit as the pink tinged a bit darker. "How fortunate for you. And here I thought that you were just a cold creature with a stone heart and no soul. But how could anyone with no soul turn such a lovely shade of pink?" And with another laugh she turned in her chair and started to doodle on her parchment.

Next to her, Draco was clenching his fists, trying his hardest to not punch the woman next to him. Damn his pale skin! The sight had been truly funny, so there was no reason he should be embarrassed to be laughing about it, but when Hermione had turned on him with those wide eyes, he couldn't stop the blood rushing to his face. He took a deep breath and turned his head slowly towards her, with every intention of putting her in her place. When he lifted his eyes, his voice caught and the blood rushed to his ears.

She sat there with her head cocked to the side as she twirled one perfect curl around her finger. She was doodling some senseless pattern on her parchment and humming lightly to herself. On her face was a lazy smile that made her look beautiful. She didn't deserve to look this beautiful. Especially not since it was result in making fun of him.

He wanted nothing more to bring her down. And he had every intention of doing that.

As he opened his mouth to tell her what he thought, the door slammed shut, making all the students jump slightly. Up the middle isle, striding with a sense of authority and confidence (unlike most new professors), was one of the most handsome men you had ever seen.

Professor Paris Hardman was hardly a young man. He was born in Dublin, Ireland in 1957, and attended Hogwarts for his magical education. He was a very skilled wizard and owned a private computer business in the muggle world. He also worked freelance with the ministry when they really needed his help. Dumbledore had contacted him about a job, and after some very careful consideration he decided to take it. Dumbledore needed help getting the students to accept each other, and he knew the challenge before him. And from the looks of his classroom his first experiment was off to a rocky start.

It would seem, that while some students just ignored each other, others were about ready to kill. His eyes scanned the room before he got their attention and his eyes landed on his most difficult pair. His two top students. It seemed like the girl was perfectly at ease, almost happy for herself. The boy however had a look of murder on his face. He saw him clench the muscles in his jaw over and over and decided to intervene when he saw his face relax, ready to yell. The door slam was a bit over dramatic, yes, but it was effective. All eyes immediately turned to him and he held them until he made it to his desk and hopped right on top of it.

He swung his legs and clapped his hands.

"Good to see you all found your seats. Now! You have probably noticed that you are partnered with a member, or multiple members of the opposite house. Get used to it. Not only will you remain in these groups for the rest of the year, you are also in these groups in your other main courses. I.E. Potions and Transfiguration." The entire classes groaned, making the older man laugh again. "Now, now, it won't be that bad. You are partnered with people who have similar grades and skills as you, so no one has to be the smart one in a group. All you have to do is learn to get along, and your year will be fine."

He jumped off of his desk and started twirling his wand in his long fingers.

"Some of you may have noticed, that there is one group that has only two students. Ms. Granger, Mr. Malfoy, please stand up." They did as they asked, shooting questioning looks at each other. "These two students are the brightest students that Hogwarts has to offer. I have heard nothing but good things in regards to their grades and performance in the classroom." He then turned to Hermione and Draco and dropped his voice an octave to talk quietly to the duo. "However, I have also heard that you two fight like a cat and dog. As Head students, you must set an example for the rest of the students. You will learn to get along or your life will be a lot more difficult for you. And yes, that is a threat." He then winked at them and motioned for them to sit back down.

Hermione had a look of shock and confusion, while Draco was just pissed off. What could they really do to them? Make them work together, no big deal. He knew that he could definitely have a worse partner. At least Granger was smart and determined not to let anything ruin her scholastic record.

Professor Hardman waved his wand and a bigger blackboard appeared behind him and a piece of chalk started writing out notes in the same script as the first note.

"Ok, so lets get started, take down the notes off the blackboard. I will give you ten minutes and then I will begin my lecture and fun part of the class. Everyday, there will be notes written up here. You are to come in and start jotting them down. The quicker you get done with the notes the quicker we can do the fun stuff." He clapped, again, and sat down behind his desk. He picked up a book and started thumbing though it as the students began taking down their notes.

***

At lunch , all that was being talked about was the seating arrangements that had been forced upon them and the new Defense professor.

Two unanimous thought filtered through the mass of babbling students: 1) The seating arrangements sucked and they didn't know how they would be able to work with their partners and 2) Prof. Hardman was definitely what the girls called a silver fox.

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**How was it? Let me know my angels…hehe**

**Love you all! --Nikki**


	3. I Am Not the Damn Sidekick

**Hey guys! Just a few opening notes before you get to the story. I do believe that** **this story is shifting a bit from what I had originally planned. I hope that you still like it! When I write I generally let the story take me where ever it wants to go, so its a surprise to us all =)**

**Anywho...go on and read and please please please please let me know what you think! I need somefeed back soon, or I may go crazy. So, I put this big plate of (insert favorite cookie here) cookies on the table for you to nibble on while you read. What? You don't believe me! Go look! Haha...made ya look! **

**Ok I am going to take my drunk ass to bed and let you read on! **

**Enjoy!!!!**

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Draco paced in front of the fire place as he waited for her to come down stairs so they could get their patrol over with. He checked his watch again. It was a mere thirty seconds later than the last time he checked it. He then placed his face in his hands, made a rather unattractive growling noise and plopped down on the couch.

Just as he fell back, he hear the door to Hermione's room open and then close again. He sat with his eyes closed, until he was encountered with a rather lovely smell. Vanilla and jasmine wafted through the air, making him want to find it's source. Of course it was coming off of his partner, who was dressed in a way he had never imagined.

The only outfits that Draco had ever seen on Hermione were the standard uniform, a pair of jeans and a sweater and that dress she had been in at the Yule Ball. Never had he seen these almost too short shorts, or her tank top that showed off her very fit body. She had her hair pulled back in a messy bun, and a few strands of her hair fell on her face, framing it imperfectly. His eyes moved to her face and he saw her almost amused look as she watched him stare at her.

"See something you like?" She then laughed and bounded to the door. As she opened it she turned and called over her shoulder. "Hey! You coming?"

Draco moved his hands to his hair and pulled as hard as he could as he calmed himself down. "As if I was the one we were waiting on for TEN minutes."

He heard a slight chuckle at his frustrastion which just added on to it.

***

They walked down the halls in silence, both bored out of their minds. They had only been at it for fifteen minutes and still had thirty to go. It seemed that this particular night not a single student had decided to be brave and sneek around the castle.

Hermione sighed for the fifth time in a row and opened her mouth like she was about to say something and then snapped it shut just a quick. Draco watched her do this repeatedly for about two minutes before he rolled his eyes.

"What is it? Just say what you want to say and get it over with. It's not like anything you say could make me lower my opinion of you, seeing as it can get no lower."

Hermione's eyebrows furrowed as she picked the right words. She wanted to have an actual discussion with Draco, not fight. When she finally decided what she would say she stopped in the middle of the corridor and grabbed his arm to make him stop and face her. He looked at his arm, where her hand was clasped, with confusion and another expression she couldn't quite understand. He then looked at her and started to open his mouth to say something, that would more than likely be hateful, but she spoke up first.

"Stop, before you just embarrass yourself. I do have one question for you Draco Malfoy, and it is this. What makes you still believe, after everything we have done, and everything that I have achieved and every minute you have spent with me, that I am below you. That I am not as good as you. I don't like to rub this in people's faces, but I am going to, to prove my point. I am at the top of the class. I have learned spells that it has taken many purebloods years to learn. I am one of the most powerful witches in the school. I could beat Pansy Parkinsons in any sort of battle any day. Who, in your opinion, would be the superior of the two of us. Why is it that you still believe me to be inferior to you? What have I ever done to you that deserves this kind of treatment? I just want to understand, so then at least I can just give up on you. You know, I believe that there is a little good in everyone. That everyone has a soul and can be compassionate and nice. You have made me believe that you can be a good person, Draco Malfoy, but I could be wrong."

Hermione finished her speech and became very interested in the floor. She was happy she had said it, but now that she had she was nervous about his reaction. Draco tended to over react when some said something he didn't agree with. But she had decided it would go one of two ways. Either he would be blunt and honest with her, or he could be a huge baby and yell and scream at her.

Unfortunatley, at the rate they were going, it might not be either. After three minutes of silence, Hermione peeked up, to maybe get a clue as to what he was thinking. When her eyes got to his, she was a bit taken aback by the emotions they held. He was staring at her, really thinking about what she had said. She made perfect sense. She was more brilliant and talented that over half of the pureblood girls he knew. She was powerful and intelligent. But she was a muggleborn, and that was reason enough for him to despise her. Right?

Eventually he blinked and sat out towards the seventh floor with out uttering one word. Hermione watched him go with disbelief and almost ran after him, but then she decided she had gotten an answer. He did believe she was beneath him. So beneath him that he could ignore a very good question and not even mutter 'fuck off'.

The longer she stood there the more pissed she got. She paced that corridor on the fifth floor for a good half a mile before she shot off in the direction Draco had gone. She raced up the stairs and came to the portrait of Adriana and Michael. She hollered the password and ran into the common room, searching for him. When she didn't find him she ran up to her room, into the bathroom and proceeded to pound on his door as loud and obnoxiously as she could.

Sooner that she had expected the door opened and he stood on the other side, a bit peeved at the intrusion.

"What do you want, Granger?"

Hermione scoffed in disbelief and started to poke Draco in his chest, to add emphasis.

"I want an answer. I think that I deserve one. If you want to tell me that you don't have to answer than fine, then I will do it for you. You are no better than me. You have a bit more money and in this world your family is important. Big deal. I have met an actual prince that is less pompous than you, and I almost feel he could have the right to be an ass for no reason. I deserve your respect. We are stuck together the rest of the year and I would like to not be miserable the entire time. So you can either grow up and try to get along with me, or you can fail. Choose soon, because I will not go down with you. I am giving this my best go. I mean hell, Malfoy, you and your family hate everything about me and you have tortured me for six years and I am willing to give you a chance. Doesn't that count for something?"

Draco let her words sink in and he truly took them to heart. He knew that if he didn't respond soon it would end up badly, so he tried to make his thoughts make sense.

"Granger, I do have a bit of respect for you. You are smart and a good witch, how could anyone not respect you. But you piss me off, because all my life I had been told that your kind was useless. A drain on our wizard society. Good for nothing. And then you come along and all of a sudden one of those useless, stupid 'mudbloods' is beating me. Me! A Malfoy! So I started to hate you, because you single handedly took everything my father taught me and threw it out the window. I hate you because I am supposed to. I look down on you because that is what is expected of me."

Hermione gave Draco a look that favored pity in a way and then turned to go to her room. When she made it to her door she turned and looked him right in the eye.

"You could follow your parents forever, or you can realize that the world is changing. With out us filth the entire wizardry race could soon be extinct. Even after hearing your answer, I still am offering an olive branch here. I am just asking for civility and even possibly a little less hatred."

She turned, not expecting a response, and for the first time of the evening she was pleasantly surprised to hear his deep voice, quietly say, "We can give civility a go, but I make no promises."

Hermione smiled and made to close the door, but not before shouting over her shoulder, "Good night, Draco."

***

Draco knew that this would definitely be a test of his character. He knew that tolerating the girl would be almost impossible.

But he also realized that he enjoyed the intelligent conversations, or arguments you could say, that the two of them had. He couldn't deny the fact that she was a slightly interesting person, who shared many similar interests as him. He could see that if he could keep the fact that she was a disgusting human being in the back of his mind, he could relax and try to be civil.

The next night, during their rounds he decided that he would try. He thought back to all of the lessons that he had learned from his mother about being polite. As they walked down a third floor corridor he cleared his throat to get her attention.

"So, what do you think about this essay that McGonagall is making us do? Did you pick a topic yet?"

Hermione looked at Draco, and a small smile came onto her face as she returned to looking around for students out of bed.

"Not yet. I have been too busy writing that ridiculous essay that Snape is making us do. WE still have two weeks before that one for McGonagall is due, so I figured I had a little slack." With that she shrugged and pointed her beam of light into a small alcove beside the stairs that led up to the forth floor.

"And here I would have thought that you would have it halfway done by now. You seem to spend half your time with your nose in a book in the library."

Hermione gave a very un ladylike snort, "That shows just how little you know about me. You think, just like everyone else in this castle, that I am a little bookworm who does nothing with her free time but shut herself in the library and has a book constantly attached to her hand." She shook her head, but continued, "On the contrary, most of my free time is spent in a little private spot I found on the north side of the Lake. Sometimes I study, sometimes I read, and then sometimes I--," she cut off and put her head down, her cheeks darkening with her blush.

A small smirk graced Draco's features as he glanced her direction, "What, Granger? What could be so bad? What do you do down there by the lake all by yourself?" All sorts of naughty images popped in his head and what disturbed him the most is he liked what he was thinking. He thought of Hermione laying by the water, no one around, with her pants off and one hand down the front of her panties. Shaking his head he looked every where but at the girl next to him. "So what is it Granger?"

Hermione stopped short and sighing Draco stopped and swung around to look at her. She had the most ashamed and guilty look on his face that for a second he thought maybe his guess was right.

She looked up at him with pleading eyes, "Please, Malfoy. If I tell you this you have to swear not to tell a single person. I mean, if this gets around to…well…to Harry and Ron, they will be very upset."

Draco started walking again and Hermione jogged a bit to catch back up.

"Ok, I know this is stupid, but I fly."

Draco stopped and looked at Hermione like she had sprouted a horn in the middle of her head.

"You fly? I thought that you hated flying."

Hermione flashed Draco a smile, "I know. I want it that way. This keeps me out of those boring Quidditch

conversations that Harry, Ron and Ginny are always having. I am not a big fan of the sport, though sometimes I like watching house games. I just love the freedom of flying. Plus it's the only way I can get to my spot on the lake."

Draco studied her with a new appreciation before they made their way to the fifth floor.

"On Friday nights, when everyone assumes that I took some girl off to fuck, I am generally hidden away, usually somewhere outside, having my own alone time."

"Yeah? What do you do? And if it is gross I really don't need to know."

Draco let out a bark of laughter that caught them both off guard. Hermione glanced his way and saw that blush start to creep across his neck, so she just coughed a bit, "I told you mine, Malfoy."

He nodded, his smile returning just a bit, "I read. My father doesn't like excessive reading, unless it is on wizardry history, dark magic, so on and so forth. He definitely wouldn't accept me reading muggle authors."

"Muggle authors, huh? Who do you read?"

"I am reading Shakespeare right now. I am halfway through with Hamlet right now."

"Oh! Hamlet is my favorite. He's brilliant isn't he? Feigning insanity to draw a confession out of his murderous step father. Amazing, isn't?"

"Well, I like it because Hamlet is so very Slytherin. His is cunning and ruthless and at some points he plays way too dirty. I like his style. Going to take some parts to memory."

Hermione cocked her head as she contemplated his statement. She went from thoughtful to disappointed with a sigh.

"Your right. You are absolutely right. Hmm. Well you just ruined my favorite piece of writing ever for me, Malfoy. Hope your happy."

Draco looked over, wondering if she was really serious. (Though, he didn't really know why he cared.) He was almost relieved to see a smile on her face from teasing him. So instead of the rude remark he had planned he smirked back and chuckled a little. But the chuckle wasn't too friendly. Just not too menacing. A nice medium. Or so he told himself.

Hermione beamed up at him, thankful for his friendliness and good manner. She really wanted this 'friendship' (or whatever it was) to work out. She had been told, by a very reliable source, that Draco can really be a good person, when he wanted to. This source, one of Draco's dearest friends, had recently become a aquantiance of Hermione's. Her and Blaise had, on many occasions, talked about Draco. Hermione was curious and Blaise seemed to be more than open to share what he could.

It was from one of these coversations that Hermione decided that she would do everything in her power to befriend Draco. She was going to be the bigger person and step up. If he wanted to treat her like shit, that was fine, but she would just kill him with kindness. Blaise wanted Draco to get off his high horse and realize that blood and money wasn't all that was important in life. And who better to break him than the girl he claimed to hate for the past six years.

It was a good plan, and Hermione just prayed that it would work.

***

When they finally made it back to the seventh floor they walked to the picture to find that it was empty. Left on the loveseat the couple sat on was a note.

'Gone. Be back soon! A&M"

Draco closed his eyes and threw his head back, "Are you fucking kidding me?"

Hermione laughed.

"What is it about this situation that is funny. It is twelve A.M. and I have an essay to finish and a class at 8 a.m."

"Me too, except my essay is already done. I don't really find it 'ha-ha' funny. I really just find the situation humorous. Like, I would laugh if someone came to me and told me that this had happened to them."

Draco rolled his eyes and sat down, against the wall next to the frame. Hermione sat next to him and for a few minutes there was a nice peaceful silence. After five minutes, Hermione sighed and threw her legs out in front of her. A minute later she folded them back under her. She kept this switch up for about ten minutes before she hopped up and started towards the stairs. Draco let your get all the way down two steps before he called after her.

"Oi! Where are you going?"

Hemrone smiled to herself when she heard him holler at her. She suppressed her wide grin when she turned around to answer him.

"Well, I just realized that I am hungry, because instead of eating dinner I decided to finish my homework. So I am headed to the kitchens to ask Dobby for some food."

Draco's ears perked up at the mention of his old house elf, but the mention of food was more appealing. He had always just made the houseelves get food for him, but never had he actually been to the kitchens.

"Wanna come?"

"Yeah, sure. If you don't mind."

He was shot with yet another dazzling smile implying her "Not at all."

* * *

**What do you think? Please let me know, since you came all the way down here by the review button anyways. You know you want to....Don't ya? I knew it!**


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